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        <title>Christian Daily International | Africa</title>
        <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/africa</link>
        <description><![CDATA[Africa news from Christian Daily International providing biblical, factual and personal news, stories and perspectives from every region, focusing on religious freedom, integrated gospel and other issues that are relevant for the global Church today.]]></description>
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                <title><![CDATA[Rebel militants in Sudan kill pastor, abduct others]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/rebel-militants-in-sudan-kill-pastor-abduct-others</link>
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                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Location of South Kordofan state in Sudan.  TUBS, Creative Commons]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ TUBS, Creative Commons ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Location of South Kordofan state in Sudan. TUBS, Creative Commons ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:07:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A rebel militant faction backed by Islamic extremist groups in Sudan on Friday (July 24) killed a pastor in South Kordofan state’s Nuba Mountains, area church sources said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A rebel militant faction backed by Islamic extremist groups in Sudan on Friday (July 24) killed a pastor in South Kordofan state’s Nuba Mountains, area church sources said.
Members of a break-away group from the rebel Sudan’s People Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N) stormed the Dabbi area of Hiban County, also called Heiban District, where they abducted and killed Pastor Adel Idris Jongool of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, said the sources, who requested anonymity.
The militants were targeting church leaders and other civilians out of both tribal and religious animosity, they said.
The attack followed an attack in Heiban town on Thursday (July 23) that reportedly left an unknown number of Christians dead and other church leaders abducted.
The Diocese of Heiban of the Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS), confirmed the attack in a press statement, with Bishop Al-Sir Hassan Kuku lamenting the killing of clergy under his oversight.
“We urge all parties involved in the conflict [between the SPLA-N and its break-away faction] to respect church leaders and religious institutions” Kuku said.
He said the killing of Pastor Jongool was unacceptable.
The attacks on Christians amid the armed conflict follow the killing on June 19 of a Catholic priest and one of his guards in Holy Cross parish in Kauda, South Kordofan by the same break-away militants. Another guard also was shot, survived and received hospital treatment.
The Nuba Mountains, an SPLA-N stronghold long battling Khartoum, has remained largely outside the military conflict that broke out in Sudan in April 2023, but a new frontline emerged there after the SPLA-N joined forces with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). Armed factions in the Nuba Mountains have emerged that are fighting the SPLA-N, resulting in killing and displacement of civilians.
Both the RSF and the SAF are Islamist forces that have attacked displaced Christians on accusations of supporting the other’s combatants.
Sudan is 93 percent Muslim, with adherents of ethnic traditional religion 4.3 percent of the population, while Christians constitute 2.3 percent, according to Joshua Project.
The conflict between the RSF and the SAF, which had shared military rule in Sudan following an October 2021 coup, has terrorized civilians in Khartoum and elsewhere, killing tens of thousands and displacing more than 12 million people within and beyond Sudan’ borders, according to the U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR).
The SAF’s Gen. Abdelfattah al-Burhan and his then-vice president, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, were in power when civilian parties in March 2023 agreed on a framework to re-establish a democratic transition the next month, but disagreements over military structure torpedoed final approval.
Burhan sought to place the RSF – a paramilitary outfit with roots in the Janjaweed militias that had helped former strongman Omar al-Bashir put down rebels – under the regular army’s control within two years, while Dagolo would accept integration within nothing fewer than 10 years.
Both military leaders have Islamist backgrounds while trying to portray themselves to the international community as pro-democracy advocates of religious freedom.
Sudan was ranked No. 4 among the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian in Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List (WWL). Sudan had dropped out of the top 10 of the WWL list for the first time in six years when it first ranked No. 13 in 2021.
Following two years of advances in religious freedom in Sudan after the end of the Islamist dictatorship under Bashir in 2019, the specter of state-sponsored persecution returned with the military coup of Oct. 25, 2021. After Bashir was ousted from 30 years of power in April 2019, the transitional civilian-military government had managed to undo some sharia (Islamic law) provisions. It outlawed the labeling of any religious group “infidels” and thus effectively rescinded apostasy laws that made leaving Islam punishable by death.
With the Oct. 25, 2021 coup, Christians in Sudan feared the return of the most repressive and harsh aspects of Islamic law.
The U.S. State Department in 2019 removed Sudan from the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) that engage in or tolerate “systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom” and upgraded it to a watch list. Sudan had previously been designated as a CPC from 1999 to 2018.
In December 2020, the State Department removed Sudan from its Special Watch List.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Young pastor killed after religious debate in Uganda]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/young-pastor-killed-after-religious-debate-in-uganda</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/young-pastor-killed-after-religious-debate-in-uganda</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Pastor Bernard Mulongo was slain near Mbale, Uganda on July 18, 2026.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Morning Star News ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Pastor Bernard Mulongo was slain near Mbale, Uganda on July 18, 2026. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:14:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[An imam who debated a pastor at an interfaith dialogue in Uganda is a suspect in the killing of the church leader after the event on Saturday (July 18), sources said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
An imam who debated a pastor at an interfaith dialogue in Uganda is a suspect in the killing of the church leader after the event on Saturday (July 18), sources said.
Bernard Mulongo, a 25-year-old pastor at New Restoration Church of Christ in Butebo District, was killed nine miles from Mbale in Jami village late that night, his traveliing companion said. He is survived by his wife and two children, ages 4 and 7.
A pastor present at the interfaith dialogue and debate, David Omala, said Imam Hassan Musa was angry with the Pastor Mulongo after the event, at which two prominent Muslim women publicly converted to Christianity.
Pastor Mulongo spoke convincingly at the debate, and afterward Musa warned him, “Bernard, you deserve death for blasphemous deeds and leading our people to that false religion. It is not right for you to use the holy book, Quran, to mislead our members,” according to Pastor Omala.
He added that Musa made additional comments encouraging violence against Christians.
Pastor Mulongo’s father, Dawuson Mwangu, said his son had traveled to Mbale to participate in the open-air Christian-Muslim dialogue and later that evening spoke on a local radio program.
“After the debate and the radio program, I believe some people became angry over what had happened,” Mwangu said.
Pastor Muloong left the radio station in Mbale city with a friend, Robert Mukisa, on the same motorcycle, Mukisa said. On the way to the place where they were lodging, when they were nine miles from Mbale, several men on motorcycles passed them and stopped ahead of them, he said.
“One of them shouted, ‘You have been misleading our people to join your bad religion and defiling our holy book,’” Mukisa told Morning Star News. “I panicked and jumped off the motorcycle and fled for my life as the attackers held my friend.”
After running two kilometers, Mukisa called police and his pastor, informing them that Pastor Mulongo had been attacked. Police recorded his statement about the attack.
Pastor Omala said he later received a telephone call from an elder of Pastor Mulongo’s church informing him that he had been killed in Jami village. The pastor called Pastor Mulongo’s father, and they rushed to the site.
“We rushed to the scene and found him lying in a pool of blood,” Pastor Omala said.
Police arrived at the site before Pastor Mulongo’s body was taken to Mbale City Mortuary for a postmortem examination. He sustained several injuries to his head, right hand, chest and back.
The body was later released to the family for burial in Petete village, Butebo District.
Musa is a suspect in the killing, and at this writing the imam was absconding, sources said. Police were investigating but have made no arrests. The pastor’s family has called for a thorough investigation into the killing and for those responsible to be prosecuted.
The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.
Uganda’s constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate one’s faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12 percent of Uganda’s population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Trump praises Tinubu for efforts to protect Christians as US and Nigeria deepen security ties]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/trump-praises-tinubu-for-efforts-to-protect-christians-as-us-and-nigeria-deepen-security-ties</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/trump-praises-tinubu-for-efforts-to-protect-christians-as-us-and-nigeria-deepen-security-ties</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[President Tinubu said Nigeria is facing major security issues, and that his government will work to eliminate terrorist actors in the country.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ President Tinubu said Nigeria is facing major security issues, and that his government will work to eliminate terrorist actors in the country. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:25:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[President Donald Trump has praised Nigerian President Bola Tinubu for his government’s efforts to confront terrorism and protect Christian communities, signaling a significant shift in tone after months of sharp criticism from Washington over deadly attacks on Christians.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
U.S. President Donald Trump has praised Nigerian President Bola Tinubu for his government’s efforts to confront terrorism and protect Christian communities, signaling a significant shift in tone after months of sharp criticism from Washington over deadly attacks on Christians.
In a letter released by the Nigerian presidency, Trump thanked Tinubu for his leadership and reaffirmed the U.S.' commitment to working with Nigeria against terrorist groups operating across the country.
“Your steadfast leadership in confronting terrorism and safeguarding all Nigerians, especially vulnerable Christian communities that have endured brutal attacks, reflects the courage and resolve that define your presidency,” Trump wrote.
He added that the U.S. was “honored to stand alongside Nigeria in this vital mission” and said both countries shared “a common commitment to peace, security and the protection of innocent lives.”
The letter comes as the U.S. and Nigeria continue to strengthen security cooperation under a 2026 Defense Cooperation Roadmap that includes intelligence sharing, military training and joint counterterrorism operations. Nigerian officials have said the partnership has already contributed to operations against Islamic State affiliates and Boko Haram militants in the Lake Chad region.
Trump also referred to that cooperation in his letter. 
“Our Special Operations Forces are now actively deployed in theater to train and assist your armed forces, ensuring they are equipped with the tools and expertise needed to defeat these violent extremists,” he wrote.
The message marks a notable change in the public relationship between the two governments.
Over the months, the Trump administration had taken a much harder line over the continued killing of Christians in parts of Nigeria. U.S. lawmakers and religious freedom advocates repeatedly accused the Nigerian government of failing to do enough to protect Christian communities, particularly in the country's Middle Belt where farming communities have suffered repeated attacks by armed groups.
Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation seeking to suspend certain forms of American assistance to Nigeria unless the government demonstrates measurable progress in addressing violence against Christians. Supporters of the bill argued that Washington should use its influence to press for greater accountability and stronger protection for vulnerable communities.
The issue of Christian persecution has become one of the defining themes in recent U.S. engagement with Nigeria.
Nigeria has consistently rejected claims that the violence amounts to a government-backed campaign against Christians. Officials have maintained that security forces are fighting insurgent groups regardless of religion and have argued that Muslims have also suffered heavily from terrorist attacks.
The Nigerian presidency presented Trump's latest letter as evidence that the security partnership between Abuja and Washington is producing results.
According to the presidency, both countries have expanded intelligence cooperation and joint military planning in recent months. Nigerian officials also pointed to a successful counterterrorism operation in the Lake Chad region that reportedly eliminated a senior Islamic State commander. 
In his letter, Trump said continued cooperation would help restore stability across the region. 
“Together, we can dismantle the networks of terror, defend innocent families and build a future where every Nigerian can worship freely and live without fear,” he wrote.
Tinubu has repeatedly pledged to improve security since taking office, describing terrorism and armed violence as among the country’s greatest national challenges. 
Although attacks have continued in several regions, Nigerian authorities say military operations have killed hundreds of insurgents, rescued kidnapping victims and disrupted extremist networks over the past year.
The renewed partnership also reflects broader strategic interests for both countries.
Nigeria remains Africa's most populous nation and one of the continent's largest economies. It is also an important security partner in West Africa, where governments continue to confront growing threats from Islamist insurgencies that stretch across the Sahel into coastal states.
Trump concluded his letter by expressing confidence that the partnership between the two countries would continue to grow.
“The United States remains unwavering in its friendship with Nigeria and in our shared determination to defeat those who seek to spread fear and hatred,” he wrote.
The letter represents one of the clearest public endorsements yet by the Trump administration of Tinubu’s security efforts, even as concerns over violence against Christians remain central to discussions between the two governments.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Christian in Somaliland poisoned to death after secret conversion]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christian-in-somaliland-poisoned-to-death-after-secret-conversion</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christian-in-somaliland-poisoned-to-death-after-secret-conversion</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Street in Hargeisa, capital of Somaliland.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Clay Gilliland, Creative Commons ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Street in Hargeisa, capital of Somaliland. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Muslim relatives of a father of five in Somaliland who recently became a Christian poisoned him to death this month for converting, sources said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Muslim relatives of a father of five in Somaliland who recently became a Christian poisoned him to death this month for converting, sources said.
Sharif Ali came to faith in Christ in April in an undisclosed town in Somaliland, a partially recognized state bordered by Somalia on the east, Djibouti to the northwest and Ethiopia to the south and west. He was 42.
He was poisoned on July 5 and died on July 7, sources said. A report by the doctor in Somalia who treated him stated that he died from food poisoning from ingesting ouabain, traditionally used by East African tribes as lethal arrow poison.
Area underground Christians said Ali’s family became suspicious of his secret faith after noticing he regularly hosted visitors in his home and missed Friday mosque prayers. Relatives invited him to a family gathering on July 5 where they questioned him about these observations and told him that neighbors had heard Christian songs in his home, the local sources said.
Ali chose not to respond to the accusations, remaining silent throughout the questioning, a Christian leader said.
After the family shared a meal, he returned home, and later that night, he became seriously ill, experiencing severe vomiting and diarrhea, the leader said. His wife took him to a hospital.
At the hospital, Ali told a visiting underground church leader, “Please come closer to me – I do not want to speak loudly. I regret not openly confessing my faith in Issa [Jesus] as my personal Savior. If I die, I rejoice because I have believed in Issa.”
He died two days later on July 7, area Christians said. He is survived by his wife and children ages 17, 14, 9, 6 and 4.
Ali had put his faith in Christ after a period of spiritual searching and encounter with underground Christians. As is customary for all Christians in Somaliland, where leaving Islam is punishable by death, he kept his faith secret.
Local Christians said he often spoke against hostility toward Christians and urged others to treat them with dignity. They said Ali would frequently remind people, “Christians are not bad people. Some Christians from overseas have been assisting our people. If some of our people become friends with them, let us not mistreat or hate them.”
They remembered him as a compassionate community leader whose quiet support for Christians left a lasting impression on many. He quietly demonstrated his belief through kindness, hospitality and practical support for underground Christians.
Ali regularly welcomed underground believers into his home despite the personal risks involved, they said, sharing meals with them, offering encouragement and providing practical assistance when possible.
“His home became a place where Christians could experience friendship and hospitality in an environment where many lived in fear of rejection and persecution,” one Christian said.
A Christian leader noted, “We respect his quiet faith in Jesus and his life of sacrificial service. We received many gifts from him and experienced his generous hospitality. May he rest in peace with the living God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Members of his underground fellowship said they continue to pray for his family and for Christians across Somalia who quietly practice their faith despite significant social pressures and persecution.
Somaliland's constitution designates Islam as the state religion and establishes sharia (Islamic law) as a foundational source of legislation, and under the traditional jurisprudence in the area, apostasy is punishable by death.
Somalia has not recognized the independence of Somaliland and regards it as one of its federal member states. Somalia ranked No. 2 on Christian support group Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. The country’s constitution establishes Islam as the state religion and prohibits the propagation of any other religion, according to the U.S. State Department. It also requires that laws comply with sharia (Islamic law) principles, with no exceptions in application for non-Muslims.
The death penalty for apostasy is part of Islamic law according to mainstream schools of Islamic jurisprudence. An Islamic extremist group in Somalia, Al Shabaab, is allied with Al Qaeda and adheres to the teaching.
Converts from Islam face significant social pressure, family conflict and isolation, and human rights organizations have frequently highlighted these concerns.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Burkina Faso leader Ibrahim Traoré rejects Sharia law, vows to support vocational education for youth despite religious affiliation]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/burkina-faso-leader-ibrahim-traore-rejects-sharia-law</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/burkina-faso-leader-ibrahim-traore-rejects-sharia-law</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/49/4964.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Ibrahim Traore]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Africa Report Files ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Traoré, a Muslim who has fought against an Islamic extremist insurgency, criticized the practice of sending young people abroad to study Islamic law while neglecting vocational training. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Burkina Faso’s military government appears to have strengthened its commitment to religious freedom and the country's secular identity following the adoption of a new law regulating religious practice.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Burkina Faso’s military government appears to have strengthened its commitment to religious freedom and the country's secular identity following the adoption of a new law regulating religious practice.
In a speech seen online, Capt. Ibrahim Traoré rejected calls for the implementation of Sharia (Islamic law). The video, which has circulated widely on Facebook and was republished by Pulse Nigeria, shows Traoré addressing a gathering about religious education, foreign funding and national sovereignty. 
Traoré, a Muslim who has fought against an Islamic extremist insurgency, criticized the practice of sending young people abroad to study Islamic law while neglecting vocational training.
“They are coming back to implement Sharia here,” said Traoré, in French. “Not one of them has learned a profession or trade.” 
He argued that religious education should be developed within Burkina Faso instead of relying on outside sponsors.
“We ourselves will take responsibility for this funding,” Traoré said. “Whether they are Catholic youth, Protestant youth, Muslim youth, or followers of traditional religions, we will find a way to support them ourselves.”
The Burkinabe leader also appeared to criticize foreign financial support for religious training, saying some people are drawn by money rather than genuine service.
“They receive funding, do what they have been sent to do, and then return after studying Sharia to try to apply it here – I will never pay for that [religious studies],” said Traoré, 38, the world’s youngest head of state, who came to power as interim president in 2022 through a military coup overthrowing the previous junta leader, Paul-Henri Damiba.
The comments come only weeks after Burkina Faso’s Transitional Legislative Assembly unanimously adopted a sweeping law on religious freedoms that seeks to bring order to religious organizations while reaffirming the country's secular character.
According to the government, the legislation is intended to guarantee freedom of worship, strengthen public order and social cohesion, and establish a clearer legal framework for religious practice. The law also regulates the establishment and management of places of worship and certain religious activities in public spaces.
Government officials have said the measures are aimed at preventing extremism while preserving the rights of all religious communities. Earlier explanations of the bill also stated that it reaffirmed freedom of worship while introducing regulatory mechanisms for religious organizations.
Burkina Faso’s constitution identifies the country as a secular state, where citizens are free to practice their religion. Muslims make up the majority of the population, while Christians and followers of traditional African religions also form significant communities.
Countering Islamist insurgents and radicalisation 
The government’s emphasis on secularism comes as Burkina Faso continues to battle Islamist insurgent groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State. The militant groups have carried out attacks on civilians and security forces while attempting to impose a strict interpretation of Islamic law in areas under their control.
Churches in parts of northern and eastern Burkina Faso have been forced to close due to insecurity, and thousands of Christians have been displaced alongside Muslim communities fleeing violence.
Although Traoré's recent remarks have not yet been widely reported by news agencies, they appear consistent with the direction taken by his administration in recent months. The military-led government has spearheaded a highly nationalist, self sustaining and anti-imperialist agenda. The remarks closely align with the government's recently enacted law on religious freedoms.
The government’s new religious law does not establish a state religion or give preference to one faith over another. Instead, officials say it seeks to ensure that religious freedom exists alongside national unity and public security.
Traoré’s remarks suggest the government intends to resist any effort to introduce Sharia as the country’s legal system while encouraging locally supported religious education across all faith communities. His apparent call for equal support of Muslim, Catholic, Protestant and traditional religious youth also reflects the government's stated position that all recognized faiths should operate within the framework of a secular republic.
As Burkina Faso continues to confront both violent extremism and growing social pressures, the debate over religion’s place in public life is likely to remain a significant issue. The newly enacted religious freedoms law provides the legal framework, while the widely shared video offers what appears to be Traoré’s clearest public comments yet on how his government intends to balance freedom of religion with national sovereignty.
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                <title><![CDATA[Botswana's Evangelical Fellowship applies to join landmark same-sex marriage case]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/botswana-s-evangelical-fellowship-applies-to-join-landmark-same-sex-marriage-case</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/botswana-s-evangelical-fellowship-applies-to-join-landmark-same-sex-marriage-case</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[High Court of Botswana]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Facebook ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ If admitted to the case, Botswana's Evangelical Fellowship will argue their position alongside other parties when the substance of the case is heard Oct. 22 and 23 before a full bench of the High Court. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2026 04:52:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana (EFB) has applied to join Botswana's High Court proceedings in a constitutional challenge that could make the country only the second in Africa, after South Africa, to legally recognise same-sex marriage.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana (EFB) has applied to join Botswana's High Court proceedings in a constitutional challenge that could make the country only the second in Africa, after South Africa, to legally recognise same-sex marriage.
The EFB, an umbrella body representing member churches across Botswana, filed its application through its legal team and presented arguments at High Court hearings in Gaborone on July 14 and 15. If admitted, the organisation will become a formal party to the case and will be entitled to argue its position when the main hearing takes place Oct. 22 and 23. A ruling on whether the church will be admitted to the case is expected Sept. 4.
"In response to the ongoing legal challenge seeking to redefine marriage to include same-sex unions, the Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana has applied to join the proceedings. This ensures that the Church has a direct voice in defending both Christian, traditional marriage, and societal moral values," EFB President Pastor David Seithamo said in a statement to church leaders across National Evangelical Alliances in Africa following the hearings.
"We deeply appreciate your continued prayers, fasting, and support towards these efforts by EFB and other organisations who are also fighting the same battle with us. The battle is the Lord's," Seithamo said.
The underlying case
In April 2025, Bonolo Selelo and Tsholofelo Kumile attempted to register their intent to marry at the Department of Civil and National Registration in Gaborone. Officials turned them away, citing Botswana law's exclusion of same-sex couples, and reportedly advised them to marry in South Africa instead, according to court papers cited by AFP.
The two challenged Section 10(2) of the Marriage Act, arguing it violates several provisions of Botswana's Constitution, including guarantees of fundamental rights and freedoms, protection from inhuman treatment, freedom of expression and association, and protection from discrimination. "We seek to enjoy the same rights, dignity and recognition as heterosexual couples in Botswana, in relation to solemnising our marriage," Selelo said in her submission to the court.
A lawyer representing the EFB told AFP that the organisation believes same-sex marriage goes against the beliefs of its Christian members, and said church ministers have a further vested interest in the outcome because they are licensed to solemnise marriages under Botswana law.
The EFB filed its application jointly with two other organisations, the Dingwetsi Association of Botswana and the Botswana House of Prayer and Transformation. Dingwetsi, a non-profit that promotes traditional marriage and opposes divorce, has argued the case carries cultural as well as religious weight, saying Botswana's customary law currently recognises marriage only between a man and a woman.
Responding to the joinder bid, Selelo called it "awkward" that the church and Dingwetsi had chosen to oppose the couple's marriage, noting that Batswana have a history of "fighting for love." She pointed to the marriage of Botswana's founding president, Sir Seretse Khama, to Ruth Khama in 1948, an interracial union that faced significant resistance at the time. 
The EFB and its allies are not the only outside parties seeking a role in the case. Dr. Onthatile Moeti, a law academic at the University of Botswana, has filed her own application to participate as amicus curiae, or "friend of the court," offering comparative legal research rather than taking a side, according to Mmegi. Botswana's LGBTQ rights organisation, LEGABIBO, has filed its own application to be joined to the case in support of the couple, arguing in court papers that the outcome bears directly on the rights and legal status of same-sex couples across Botswana.
Legal backdrop
The marriage case follows a decade of shifting legal ground in Botswana. In 2019, the High Court ruled in Letsweletse Motshidiemang v. Attorney General that colonial-era sodomy provisions in the Penal Code were unconstitutional, a decision the Court of Appeal upheld in 2021.
In March 2026, the government formally deleted the colonial-era "unnatural offences" provisions from the Penal Code through a statutory instrument, aligning the written law with the 2019 and 2021 court rulings.
Marriage remains a separate legal question. Speaking in Parliament, Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Pius Mokgware said government policy on same-sex marriage remains undefined and that his ministry is reviewing the Marriage Act, with consultations to involve various stakeholders, according to the Botswana Gazette. 
The High Court's ruling on whether the EFB and its co-applicants will be formally joined to the case is due Sept. 4. If admitted, they will argue their position alongside the other parties when the substance of the case is heard Oct. 22 and 23 before a full bench of the High Court.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Chad gives legal backing to interfaith platform in push for peace and national unity]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/chad-gives-legal-backing-to-interfaith-platform-in-push-for-peace-and-national-unity</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/chad-gives-legal-backing-to-interfaith-platform-in-push-for-peace-and-national-unity</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Sudanese refugees in Chad]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ WFP ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ The civil war in neighboring Sudan which has driven hundreds of thousands of refugees into eastern Chad. At the same time, insecurity linked to extremist groups remains a challenge around the Lake Chad Basin. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:01:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Chad has formally given legal recognition to a national interfaith platform that brings together Muslim, Catholic and Protestant leaders, marking a significant step in the country's efforts to strengthen peace and social cohesion at a time of political transition and growing regional instability.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Chad has formally given legal recognition to a national interfaith platform that brings together Muslim, Catholic and Protestant leaders, marking a significant step in the country's efforts to strengthen peace and social cohesion at a time of political transition and growing regional instability.
The statute and internal regulations establishing the platform were signed June 25 during a ceremony in N'Djamena led by Deputy Prime Minister Limane Mahamat. The new framework unites the National Council for Islamic Affairs of Chad, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Chad and the Alliance of Evangelical Churches and Missions in Chad under a legally recognized body that will coordinate initiatives promoting dialogue, peaceful coexistence and national unity.
Until now, cooperation among the country's major religious groups had been largely informal. Government officials said the new legal status gives the platform the authority to operate like other recognized associations and receive support under Chadian law.
“There was no appropriate framework that allowed religious leaders to carry out their shared mission effectively. Thanks to the platform's statute and internal regulations, it can now operate like any legally recognized association and benefit from the support provided by law,” Mahamat said during the signing ceremony.
The move comes as Chad seeks to reinforce national institutions following the end of its political transition while confronting security threats and humanitarian pressures that continue to test the country's social fabric. 
Religious organizations have played an important role in providing humanitarian assistance and mediating tensions within affected communities, exacerbated by the civil war in neighboring Sudan which has driven hundreds of thousands of refugees into eastern Chad. At the same time, insecurity linked to extremist groups remains a challenge around the Lake Chad Basin. 
Archbishop Edmond Djitangar Goetbé of N'Djamena, one of the signatories, said the platform reflects a shared commitment to building the country's future.
“We will continue to work so that everyone can contribute to human development and to achieving our common goal of building a united, prosperous Chad that looks confidently to the future,” Djitangar said.
The initiative also seeks to prevent religion from being used as a source of division in a country where Muslims and Christians have long lived alongside one another. Chad's religious diversity has generally been accompanied by cooperation among faith communities, despite periodic political and security crises that have affected the wider region.
Shared responsibility
Tao Élysée, secretary of the Alliance of Evangelical Churches and Missions in Chad, said the platform recognizes that religious communities have a responsibility that extends beyond their own congregations.
“There is no benefit in allowing religions to become a cause of mutual rejection. We certainly have our own faith and our own beliefs, but we also share the responsibility of building our nation together,” Élysée said. “We live in a secular state, but one founded on cooperative secularism, in which God must have his place in society. Without this spiritual dimension, our society would lose an essential part of its meaning.”
Sheikh Abdadayim Abdallah Ousman, president of the National Council for Islamic Affairs of Chad, said the three faith communities have worked together for years to encourage peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.
“Together with our Catholic and Protestant brothers and sisters, we have been working for several years to promote peaceful coexistence and mutual respect. We support the State's efforts to strengthen national unity and to make our fellow citizens aware that, above all, we are Chadians, called to live together,” he said.
President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, through remarks conveyed during the ceremony, praised the contribution made by the country's religious communities in promoting peace and social cohesion. Government officials described the platform as a practical mechanism that will enable faith leaders to coordinate conflict prevention efforts, strengthen dialogue among communities and work more closely with public institutions.
Formal recognition is expected to strengthen its ability to respond to future national challenges while preserving the tradition of interfaith collaboration that has distinguished Chad despite periods of political uncertainty and regional conflict.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Hijab in schools: Nigeria, Ghana court cases revive debate on enforcement of dress code]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/hijab-in-schools-nigeria-ghana-court-cases-revive-debate-on-enforcement-of-dress-code</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/hijab-in-schools-nigeria-ghana-court-cases-revive-debate-on-enforcement-of-dress-code</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/49/4947.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Students wearing Hijab in Ghana]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ CNR ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ In Ghana, the country's Supreme Court is considering a constitutional challenge over whether mission schools can restrict the religious practices of Muslim students. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2026 05:55:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Two landmark court cases in Nigeria and Ghana are putting religious freedom in schools under judicial scrutiny, as judges weigh whether constitutional rights allow students to practice their faith even when it conflicts with the rules of private and mission schools.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Two landmark court cases in Nigeria and Ghana are putting religious freedom in schools under judicial scrutiny, as judges weigh whether constitutional rights allow students to practice their faith even when it conflicts with the rules of private and mission schools.
An appeals court in Nigeria has ruled that private schools may enforce their own dress codes even when they conflict with students' religious preferences, drawing a legal distinction between public and private education that could shape future debates over religious freedom in the country's schools.
In a split 2-1 judgment delivered in Ibadan, the Court of Appeal overturned an earlier ruling by the Oyo State High Court that had allowed female Muslim students at the International School, University of Ibadan to wear the hijab as part of their school uniform.
The majority held that the school, commonly known as ISI, is a private institution whose dress code forms part of the agreement accepted by parents and students upon enrollment. As a result, the court said, a landmark Supreme Court decision permitting the hijab in public schools in Lagos State could not automatically be applied to the case.
In neighboring Ghana, the country's Supreme Court is considering a constitutional challenge over whether mission schools can restrict the religious practices of Muslim students. 
The case, brought against Wesley Girls' High School, questions whether school policies limiting the wearing of the hijab and other religious observances violate constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court allowed the National Catholic Secretariat and the Presbyterian Church of Ghana to join the proceedings, underscoring the broader constitutional and public interest issues at stake. Ghana's Attorney General has opposed the challenge, arguing that Wesley Girls' High School, established by the Methodist Church Ghana, is entitled to preserve rules consistent with its religious traditions.
According to the Attorney General, the school's faith-based character permits it to enforce standards of conduct and religious observance, even where those rules may limit the expression of other religions within the school. 
Public vs private schools
In Nigeria, the ruling means the school may prohibit the hijab as part of its uniform policy, distinguishing the case from earlier Supreme Court decisions that apply to public schools.
“The Supreme Court judgement, which granted the use of hijab, was in respect to a public school in Lagos State,” Justice Biobele Georgewill said while delivering the lead judgment.
He added that “the judgment of the lower court allowing female Muslim students to wear hijab on their school uniforms in ISI, a private school, is set aside.”
Justice K.I. Amadi agreed with the decision, forming the majority that allowed the appeal filed by the University of Ibadan, the school's management and other appellants. Justice Fadawu Umar dissented, saying the appeal should have been dismissed and that the earlier High Court ruling should have been upheld.
However, the court temporarily halted the enforcement of its own ruling that allowed the University of Ibadan International School to enforce its dress code, ordering all parties to maintain the status quo while it considers an application to stay the judgment pending a planned appeal to the Supreme Court.
The case marks the latest chapter in a legal dispute that has drawn national attention because it tests the balance between constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and the authority of private institutions to establish and enforce their own rules.
Section 38 of Nigeria's Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the freedom to manifest religious beliefs. Previous court decisions have affirmed that Muslim students attending public schools cannot be prevented from wearing the hijab where doing so would violate those constitutional protections.
The Court of Appeal, however, found that the legal circumstances surrounding a private school are fundamentally different.
Together, the two cases illustrate how courts across West Africa are increasingly being asked to define the balance between constitutional religious freedoms and the autonomy of faith-based educational institutions.
Justice Umar, in his dissenting opinion, concluded that the appeal lacked merit and would have affirmed the earlier High Court judgment recognizing the students' right to wear the hijab. 
The case has been adjourned until Oct. 7, when the court is expected to hear arguments on whether enforcement of its judgment should remain suspended as the legal battle over religious freedom and the autonomy of private schools continues.
Although the two cases remain at different stages, they underscore a growing legal debate across West Africa and in other parts of the world where the autonomy of educational institutions has clashed with religious beliefs. In 2004, France banned the Hijab and other religious attires and symbols in public schools. ]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[US House bill puts Nigeria aid at risk over Christian killings]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/us-house-bill-puts-nigeria-aid-at-risk-over-christian-killings</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/us-house-bill-puts-nigeria-aid-at-risk-over-christian-killings</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/36/3600.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[President Bola Tinubu]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ President Tinubu X ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ President Tinubu has maintained Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sat, 18 Jul 2026 06:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The United States House of Representatives has approved legislation that could suspend all U.S. assistance to Nigeria unless the West African nation demonstrates measurable progress in protecting Christians from religiously motivated violence, setting the stage for what could become one of the most consequential shifts in U.S.-Nigeria relations in years.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The provision is part of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Security, Department of State and Related Programs Appropriations Act, which the House passed on July 15. The legislation still requires approval by the Senate and President Donald Trump's signature before it can become law.
The bill originally proposed withholding 50 percent of U.S. assistance to Nigeria. However, lawmakers approved an amendment by Rep. Greg Steube of Florida to increase that to 100 percent until the U.S. secretary of state certifies that Nigeria is taking effective action to protect Christians and hold perpetrators of religious violence accountable.
"My amendment to withhold 100% of U.S. aid to Nigeria until its government stops the slaughter of Christians has passed," Steube wrote on X after the vote. "American taxpayers should never bankroll governments that turn a blind eye while Christians are abducted, tortured, and murdered."
Supporters of the legislation say the measure is intended to pressure President Bola Tinubu's government to improve security in regions where Christian communities have repeatedly come under attack from armed groups.
Rep. Riley Moore, who sponsored the broader legislation, said Christians in Nigeria have endured years of violence while receiving insufficient protection from the government.
“Christians in Nigeria continue to endure horrific violence, murder, and persecution while a majority of the world turns a blind eye to their suffering. President Trump has taken bold actions to strike the terrorists in Nigeria, and this bill sends a clear message that the United States will continue to stand with persecuted Christians across the globe, especially in Nigeria,” Moore said after the passage. “This important bill also holds foreign governments accountable and ensures American taxpayer dollars advance our national interests.”
If enacted, the legislation could affect millions of dollars in American assistance that supports health care, humanitarian relief, security cooperation, governance programs and development initiatives across Nigeria. The United States provided about $929 million in foreign assistance to Nigeria in 2024, making it one of Washington’s largest aid recipients in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2025, that figure reduced to $616 million according to US foreign aid data.
While the exact programs affected would depend on how the law is implemented, a suspension of aid would likely complicate cooperation between Washington and Abuja at a time when both countries continue to work together against extremist groups operating in northern Nigeria.
Nigeria’s complex security situation  
Nigeria has long battled multiple security crises. Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province continue to wage insurgencies in the country's northeast, while heavily armed criminal gangs operate across the northwest. In the country's Middle Belt, violence involving farming communities, nomadic herders and armed militias has claimed thousands of lives over the past decade.
Many Christian organizations argue that Christians have been disproportionately targeted, particularly in Plateau and Benue states, where churches and predominantly Christian villages have suffered repeated attacks.
Human rights organizations and conflict researchers, however, say the situation is more complex. Groups such as the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project have found that both Muslims and Christians have suffered heavily from insurgent violence, banditry and communal conflict, although Christians have also experienced attacks specifically because of their faith. 
Right groups say insecurity is fueled by a combination of religious extremism, competition over land and water, ethnic tensions, organized crime and weak governance. That complexity has been central to the Nigerian government's response.
Tinubu's administration has consistently rejected allegations that the country is witnessing a government-backed campaign against Christians. Nigerian officials maintain that terrorism and criminal violence affect citizens regardless of religion.
Responding to criticism from Washington last year, Tinubu said Nigeria's security challenges affect people “across faiths and regions” and insisted the country remains committed to religious tolerance. Presidential adviser Daniel Bwala also said jihadist groups “had killed people from all faiths, or none,” while emphasizing that Nigeria remained committed to fighting violent extremism.
The debate has intensified under Trump, who has repeatedly accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians.
The current legislation reflects a broader shift in Washington’s approach under the Trump administration, which has increasingly tied foreign assistance to religious freedom concerns.
Earlier this year, Moore said the proposed legislation followed a congressional investigation into violence against Christians in Nigeria that he conducted at Trump's request.
“The Tinubu Administration is spending millions lobbying Congress while failing to adequately address the genocide Nigerian Christians face daily,” Moore wrote when the House Appropriations Committee first advanced the proposal in April.
Supporters argue that conditioning aid would force Nigerian authorities to prioritize security reforms, prosecute attackers more aggressively and better protect vulnerable communities.
Critics, however, warn that reducing U.S. assistance could have unintended consequences by weakening programs that directly benefit ordinary Nigerians, including health services, humanitarian assistance and security cooperation aimed at combating extremist organizations.
The legislation has also renewed international debate over how the violence in Nigeria should be characterized.
While many church leaders and religious freedom advocates describe the attacks on Christian communities as systematic persecution, several researchers caution against reducing Nigeria’s security crisis to a single religious narrative.
Conflict analysts note that Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have killed Muslims as well as Christians, while farmer-herder violence often stems from disputes over land, grazing routes and local political tensions that overlap with religious identities.
For now, the measure remains only a proposal.
The Senate must approve its own version of the appropriations bill before lawmakers reconcile differences between the two chambers. The final legislation would then require Trump's signature before any restrictions on aid could take effect.
Even so, the House vote sends one of the clearest signals yet that concerns over religious freedom in Nigeria have become a significant issue in Washington. Whether the measure ultimately becomes law or is modified during negotiations, it is likely to increase diplomatic pressure on Tinubu’s government to demonstrate measurable progress in protecting vulnerable communities and addressing one of Africa's most persistent security crises.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Christian professionals urge countries to adopt the African Family Values Charter to shield states from financing conditions]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christian-professionals-urge-countries-to-adopt-the-african-family-values-charter-to-shield-states-from-donor-conditiona</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christian-professionals-urge-countries-to-adopt-the-african-family-values-charter-to-shield-states-from-donor-conditiona</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[President William Ruto]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ William Ruto Facebook ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Kenya's President William Ruto said said African countries are increasingly being asked to adopt policies that do not reflect their national priorities as a condition for financial support. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:34:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The Kenya Christian Professionals Forum (KCPF) has advised African leaders to adopt the African Family Values Charter to safeguard the sovereignty of countries and maintain a level playing field as they negotiate with development partners.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The Kenya Christian Professionals Forum (KCPF) has advised African leaders to adopt the African Family Values Charter to safeguard the sovereignty of countries and maintain a level playing field as they negotiate with development partners. 
This comes days after Kenya’s President William Ruto recently warned that some foreign financiers attach political conditions to development funding. Speaking during a public address, Ruto said African countries are increasingly being asked to adopt policies that do not reflect their national priorities as a condition for financial support.
Ruto said African countries have been told to“pass sexuality laws first if you want us to lend you the money,” Ruto was quoted by Citizen TV. He added that Africa should reduce its dependence on external financing and strengthen domestic resource mobilization. 
In a statement, KCPF urged the Kenyan government to endorse the Draft African Charter on the Protection of the Family, Sovereignty and Religious and Cultural Values, saying the document would provide a continental framework for protecting the family while safeguarding the independence of African states.
“Kenyans should not be forced to choose between development assistance and fidelity to our Constitution,” the organization said in its statement.
The proposed charter has become one of the most debated policy documents in Africa. Supporters describe it as a declaration of African self-determination. Critics argue it could weaken existing human rights commitments and roll back protections for women and sexual minorities.
The draft charter traces its origins to a gathering of African lawmakers in Entebbe, Uganda, in 2025 before receiving further consideration during the Fourth African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family Values and Sovereignty held in Accra, Ghana, in June. Delegates from more than a dozen African countries participated in the conference, where lawmakers called for stronger legal protection of what they described as the natural family and national sovereignty.
The charter states that the family founded on the union of a man and a woman is “the natural and fundamental group unit of society.” It also calls on African governments to preserve religious freedom, protect parental rights, defend national sovereignty and ensure that domestic laws reflect African cultural values.
Supporters argue the proposal is a response an increasing ideological pressure from foreign governments and international organizations.
Reuters reported that participants at the Accra conference said the charter seeks to counter foreign influence over African social policy and legislation. Several lawmakers said African countries should have the freedom to determine their own laws without external pressure.
For KCPF, Ruto's remarks reinforce that message. The organization said the president's comments highlight concerns that many African governments have raised about the relationship between development assistance and national policy choices. It argued that endorsing the charter would strengthen Kenya's constitutional commitment to protecting the family while affirming the country's sovereignty.
The proposal has also attracted significant criticism from legal scholars and human rights organizations.
Rights groups argue that several provisions of the charter conflict with existing African Union human rights instruments, particularly the Maputo Protocol, which promotes women's rights and gender equality across the continent.
According to The Guardian, the draft charter encourages governments to withdraw from agreements that do not align with its principles and rejects concepts such as comprehensive sexuality education and broader definitions of gender.
The debate comes as several African countries continue to review legislation related to family policy and same-sex relationships. While many African governments have resisted international calls to liberalize such laws, there is no publicly available evidence showing that major international lenders formally require countries to enact LGBTQ legislation before receiving loans. Ruto's comments reflect his position on the broader relationship between foreign financing and domestic policymaking.
Kenya has not announced whether it will formally endorse the draft charter.
If adopted by African governments, supporters believe the charter could shape future debates on family law, education, parental rights and national sovereignty across the continent. Opponents, however, say it risks creating legal conflicts with existing regional human rights agreements and could deepen divisions over how Africa balances cultural values with international human rights obligations.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Anglicans launch vision to plant one million churches as Africa's Christian growth shapes global mission]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/anglicans-launch-vision-to-plant-one-million-churches-as-africa-s-christian-growth-shapes-global-mission</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/anglicans-launch-vision-to-plant-one-million-churches-as-africa-s-christian-growth-shapes-global-mission</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/49/4928.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Canon Robert Sihubwa]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ ACCED ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Canon Robert Sihubwa of the Church of the Province of Central Africa said the vision is rooted in making the church more accessible to people everywhere. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2026 07:05:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Anglican leaders have unveiled an ambitious plan to plant or restore one million churches across the Anglican Communion over the next decade, saying the effort is intended to bring the church closer to communities around the world while welcoming an estimated 20 million new believers.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Anglican leaders have unveiled an ambitious plan to plant or restore one million churches across the Anglican Communion over the next decade, saying the effort is intended to bring the church closer to communities around the world while welcoming an estimated 20 million new believers.
The proposal, known as Vision36, was presented during the 19th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Belfast by the Anglican Communion Commission for Evangelism and Discipleship. The initiative calls on every Anglican province, diocese and parish to take part in church planting and the renewal of struggling congregations between 2026 and 2036.
Canon Robert Sihubwa of the Church of the Province of Central Africa said the vision is rooted in making the church more accessible to people everywhere.
"It’s a vision to take the church to the world, as close to the people as possible, so that nobody has to walk a long distance to find the nearest Anglican church," Sihubwa told members of the Anglican Consultative Council, according to the Anglican Communion News Service.
Sihubwa also challenged delegates to think boldly about the church's mission.
"Anglicanism has something to offer to the world. We have a message to offer. We have a community to offer. We have a mindset to offer to each. We have something to offer and (we can do it by) planting one million churches in the next ten years," he said, according to The Living Church.
The Vision36 proposal seeks not only to establish new congregations but also to revive churches that have declined. Anglican leaders said renewed congregations will count toward the one million church goal alongside newly planted fellowships.
The proposal also links the initiative to JC2033, a global movement marking the 2000th anniversary of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Anglican leaders believe the milestone offers an opportunity for churches around the world to renew their commitment to evangelism and discipleship.
Africa at the core of the goal
Although the initiative is global, Africa is expected to play a significant role in its success.
The continent is home to the largest Anglican population in the world. According to a 2025 Pew Research Center analysis, sub-Saharan Africa is now home to 30.7% of the world's Christians, overtaking Europe as the region with the largest share of the global Christian population.
The proposal itself does not assign numerical targets to individual continents or provinces. Instead, it invites every member church of the Communion to contribute according to its local context.
Africa's prominence was also reflected in the presentation of the proposal. Sihubwa, who introduced Vision36, serves in the Church of the Province of Central Africa. During the council's discussions, delegates from Kenya and South Sudan shared examples of church planting and discipleship initiatives already taking place in their countries.
According to The Living Church, a delegate from Kenya said church schools provide opportunities to establish new congregations, while Bishop Joseph Bilal of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan said a province-wide prayer initiative has helped churches multiply.
The proposal has also drawn attention because it comes at a time when Christianity continues to grow rapidly across Africa while many churches in Europe experience declining attendance.
Research by the Pew Research Center has consistently shown that the center of global Christianity has shifted toward Africa over the past several decades. Africa is now home to hundreds of millions of Christians and is expected to account for an even larger share of the world's Christian population in the coming years.
That demographic shift is increasingly influencing the priorities of global Christian organizations, including the Anglican Communion, which now looks to many African churches as leaders in evangelism, church planting and discipleship.
The Rev. Eleanor Sanderson of the Church of England said the Vision36 proposal grew out of work by Anglican commissions that realized evangelism and discipleship could not be separated.
"We found that we couldn’t talk about one without mentioning the other," Sanderson said, according to The Living Church.
Former Archbishop Nick Drayson of the Anglican Church of South America also expressed confidence that the Communion has already laid important foundations for the initiative.
Drayson said Vision36 builds on the Anglican Communion's Decade of Intentional Discipleship, which has helped deepen the understanding of discipleship across member churches and produced training resources used throughout the Communion.
The council brings together bishops, clergy and lay representatives from Anglican churches in more than 165 countries to discuss mission, unity and the future direction of the Communion.
If adopted and widely embraced, Vision36 would represent one of the largest coordinated church planting efforts ever undertaken by the Anglican Communion.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Churches called to support 1.9 million maritime workers for Sea Sunday 2026]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/churches-called-to-support-19-million-maritime-workers-for-sea-sunday-2026</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/churches-called-to-support-19-million-maritime-workers-for-sea-sunday-2026</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[seafarers hope mission to seafarers]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Mission to Seafarers ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:23:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Churches around the globe are being called to recognize the world’s 1.9 million seafarers this month during an international day of prayer, reflection, and fundraising for those working on the frontlines of global trade.]]></description>
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Churches around the globe are being called to recognize the world’s 1.9 million seafarers this month during an international day of prayer, reflection, and fundraising for those working on the frontlines of global trade.
Organized by The Mission to Seafarers, Sea Sunday 2026 will take place on July 12. This year’s theme, "Harbours of Hope: The Church Alongside Seafarers," challenges congregations to become places of welcome, safety, and support for maritime workers who often labor unseen.
Seafarers transport approximately 90% of global trade, including essential food, fuel, and commercial goods. However, the nature of the industry often forces workers to spend months at sea navigating isolation, exhaustion, and long separations from their families with limited access to communication.
For more than 170 years, The Mission to Seafarers has provided practical, emotional, and spiritual care through a global network of chaplains and volunteers operating in more than 200 ports worldwide.
Organizers said this year’s theme is biblical, drawing inspiration from Matthew 25:31–46. In the passage, Jesus instructs his followers to care for the vulnerable, stating that what is done for "the least of these" is done for him. The campaign encourages local churches to view themselves as modern-day harbors—places of refuge and dignity for those facing isolation.
The ministry highlighted the real-world impact of port chaplaincy through stories like Sally’s, a seafarer and new mother who had to return to sea, leaving her 3-month-old baby with extended family. A visit from a Mission to Seafarers chaplain provided her with a listening ear and a free SIM card, allowing her to see her child via video call.
"These small, compassionate acts can make a life-changing difference," The Mission to Seafarers said in a statement. "Sea Sunday reminds churches that hope doesn’t always arrive in grand gestures. Sometimes it comes through presence, listening and practical care."
The organization is inviting churches and individuals to participate by praying for maritime workers, hosting dedicated Sea Sunday worship services, and financial giving to fund chaplaincy visits, emergency aid, and communication resources for isolated crews.
Free downloadable resources, including sermon outlines, prayers, and children’s activities, have been made available at missiontoseafarers.org/sea-sunday.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Global evangelical leaders call churches to mark Creation Sunday on Sept. 6]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/global-evangelical-leaders-call-churches-to-mark-creation-sunday-on-sept-6</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/global-evangelical-leaders-call-churches-to-mark-creation-sunday-on-sept-6</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Rev. Joseph Tia Sugri reads Scripture to members of Nanyeeri Baptist Church during a baptismal service at a river in northeastern Ghana. African theologians say creation is already woven into African Christian spirituality — not reserved for a special day]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Rev. Joseph Tia Sugri reads Scripture to members of Nanyeeri Baptist Church during a baptismal service at a river in northeastern Ghana. African theologians say creation is already woven into African Christian spirituality — not reserved for a special day but embedded in everyday worship. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Leaders from the World Evangelical Alliance, Baptist World Alliance, and the Lausanne/WEA Creation Care Network joined representatives of several other global Christian bodies Wednesday in a joint webinar calling churches worldwide to observe Creation Sunday on Sept. 6 — calling creation care an act of worship and discipleship, not a political cause.]]></description>
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Leaders from the World Evangelical Alliance, Baptist World Alliance, and the Lausanne/WEA Creation Care Network joined representatives of several other global Christian bodies Wednesday in a joint webinar calling churches worldwide to observe Creation Sunday on Sept. 6 — calling creation care an act of worship and discipleship, not a political cause.
The hour-long online event, held July 8, was co-organized by seven global Christian bodies and moderated by Latin American evangelical theologian Ruth Padilla DeBorst of the Latin American Theological Fellowship. It drew church leaders and pastors ahead of the annual celebration, which falls on the first Sunday of September.
"Caring for creation is not about politics," said Rev. Elijah Brown, CEO and General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, which represents 53 million baptized believers in 138 countries. "It is about worship, stewardship and loving our neighbors, especially those who are most vulnerable to environmental degradation and natural disasters."
Brown called the observance "an opportunity for your church to celebrate our creator God, give thanks for the beauty of the world God has made and recommit ourselves to faithful care and stewardship."
Rev. Botrus Mansour, Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance, grounded his endorsement in biblical theology and hope in Jesus Christ. "In a broken world that is kept captive between greed and fear, losing any perspective of hope, we as those who confess Jesus of Nazareth as our living hope should unite in serving our fellowmen in a relevant way," he said.
Mansour named environmental fear as one of the defining anxieties of the age. "One of the biggest fears for those who have no hope beyond the grave is that our planet is going down the drain," he said — and argued that Christians, far from standing apart from that concern, share it on deeper grounds. "Creation is nothing secondary. The natural is not unspiritual. Nothing is made without Christ" — citing John 1:3 and Colossians 1:20.
He argued that Christians who confess Jesus as Lord have particular reason, not less reason, to engage with creation. "As those who praise God for salvation and an eternal future in Christ, we honor the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ — not only by praising him for creation, but also by taking good care of his handiwork, not because we have no other hope, but because we do. It is an act of good discipleship and of fine stewardship."
The WEA leader framed the observance as a form of witness to a fearful world. "Those that confess Jesus as Lord should unite in taking care of God's creation, both to honor the creator and to show Christ's relevance in one more practical way, touching on the core of society's worst fears — showing that we also care for what is society's huge care, but with hope from the perspective of love."
"We therefore endorse the celebration of Creation Sunday as an expression of faith and as an expression of love, strengthened to do so by the authority of what scripture tells us to do," he said.
A theological foundation
Rev. Dave Bookless, an evangelical theologian who co-leads the global Lausanne/WEA Creation Care Network and serves as head of theology for A Rocha International, presented a new paper titled "Creation Sunday: An Introduction," produced by a working group of theologians from the convening bodies.
Bookless outlined six theological reasons for free churches — evangelical, Pentecostal and other non-liturgical traditions — to mark the day, beginning with Christology. "Creation Sunday helps us proclaim that Jesus is lord of all," he said, citing Jesus' role as preexistent creator in John 1, the cosmic reconciliation described in Colossians 1 and Christ's enthronement over all creation in Ephesians 1 and Philippians 2.
He described the gospel itself as inseparable from creation. Drawing on Romans 8, he noted Paul's declaration that "creation will be liberated from its bondage to decay." And he pointed to Romans 1 as evidence that creation plays an evangelistic role. "Creation displays God's eternal power and divine nature," Bookless said. "I often say creation is God's first evangelist."
The day also carries significance for discipleship and mission, Bookless argued. He cited Genesis 2's command to "work and take care of the garden" as a mandate that "has never been taken away," and linked creation care to the call in Matthew 25 to serve the most vulnerable.
He also drew a line from Creation Sunday back to Israel's liturgical calendar. "In the Old Testament, God's people celebrated festivals that often linked God's actions in history and God's actions in creation," Bookless said. Observances such as First Fruits and the Feast of Weeks were harvest-based, land-rooted celebrations. "We need to recover that tradition of celebrating God's provision and goodness in creation," he said.
Bookless spoke from personal experience about the spiritual dimension of engaging with creation. "The more I have learned about caring for creation, the more time I spend worshiping God in creation outdoors, the closer I find I get to Jesus," he said. He also noted that creation care "helps our faith become a seven-day-a-week rather than a Sunday morning thing."
African perspectives
Emmanuel Awudi, a theologian from Ghana representing the Pentecostal World Fellowship in the working group, opened with a historical observation. When the World Missionary Conference gathered in Edinburgh in 1910, he said, virtually no one anticipated the rise of a vibrant church in Africa. A century later, scholars widely acknowledge that the center of Christian vitality has shifted to the global south — and Awudi argued that shift carries direct implications for how the whole church thinks about creation.
"The wider church has much to learn from African Christians," he said. He pointed to indigenous African churches that have developed oral theologies enabling communities to conserve wetlands and ecosystems for centuries. He also drew on African hymnody, noting that African Christians sing of the mystery and wonder of God's creation in ways that echo the creation Psalms.
Among the Akan people of Ghana, he cited a traditional saying: "No one needs to teach a child the concept of God" — meaning the awareness of God as creator is understood to be innate, and the natural world is the first teacher. "The environment teaches believers a religious language," Awudi said. "The sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the lakes, the seas and the rivers, the thunder and the lightning, forests, plants and animals can all speak to human beings about the beyond."
For this reason, Awudi said, the feast of creation is not an import to Africa but a recognition of something already present. "The celebration of God's creation is already embedded in our spirituality and in our daily lives," he said.
That embeddedness, however, makes the formal observance no less relevant. Africa has suffered severe climate impacts, Awudi noted, and a named, celebrated feast can help channel African Christian creation theology into concrete care. He drew on Africa's long history of responding to environmental crisis — including, he said, the strategies employed by pharaohs during ancient famines — and expressed hope that "Africa can once again become the breadbasket of the world as it recovers the theology of creation."
Awudi identified three things the feast teaches: that creation belongs to God, not humanity; that human dominion is a delegated responsibility meant to mirror God's "compassion, love, mercy, and justice"; and that creation is not a resource pool to be exploited. "Every part of creation exists to fulfill God's purposes," he said. "It is not to be reduced to raw material or a commodity to be bought and sold on the market, but to be celebrated as God's creation."
He closed by urging that "the celebration of the feast of creation should not become an annual event but a way of life."
Creation Sunday is celebrated on the first Sunday of September each year. More information is available at creation-sunday.com.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Giving to Caesar: Tanzania turns to faith leaders to promote tax ethics and voluntary compliance]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/giving-to-caesar-tanzania-turns-to-faith-leaders-to-promote-tax-ethics-and-voluntary-compliance</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/giving-to-caesar-tanzania-turns-to-faith-leaders-to-promote-tax-ethics-and-voluntary-compliance</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Yusuf Mwenda TRA Commissioner General]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Yusuph Mwenda, the Commissioner General of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), in a recent tax compliance workshop. TRA brought together Christian and Muslim leaders to promote integrity, accountability and voluntary tax compliance. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:23:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Tanzania's tax authority is enlisting religious leaders in its latest effort to improve tax compliance and encourage citizens to see paying taxes as both a legal duty and a moral responsibility.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Tanzania's tax authority is enlisting religious leaders in its latest effort to improve tax compliance and encourage citizens to see paying taxes as both a legal duty and a moral responsibility.
The Tanzania Revenue Authority, known as TRA, recently launched an ethics partnership that brings together Christian and Muslim leaders to promote integrity, accountability and voluntary tax compliance. Officials say the initiative is designed to strengthen public trust in the tax system while encouraging people to contribute to national development through honest tax payments.
The partnership reflects the important role religion plays in Tanzanian society. Although the government no longer includes religion in its national census, estimates by the Pew Research Center indicate that about 63 percent of Tanzanians are Christians while about 34 percent are Muslims. Traditional African religions and people with no religious affiliation make up a small minority. On the islands of Zanzibar, the population is overwhelmingly Muslim.
Deputy Commissioner General Mcha Hassan Mcha said ethical leadership and cooperation between public institutions and society are already producing positive results.
“These achievements demonstrate that when integrity, accountability and cooperation are given priority, positive results can be achieved,” Mcha said during the launch, referring to recent improvements in tax collection. He said mainland Tanzania collected 2.96 trillion Tanzanian shillings ($1.1B) in tax revenue in May, equal to 104.4 percent of its target, compared with 2.40 trillion shillings ($914M) collected during the same month last year. 
The initiative comes as Tanzania continues to focus on increasing domestic revenue without placing greater tax burdens on citizens. Instead, officials have emphasized expanding the tax base, improving services for taxpayers and encouraging voluntary compliance through education and public trust. 
Religious leaders welcomed the partnership, saying faith communities have a responsibility to encourage ethical behavior that benefits the wider society.
Bishop Charles Howard of the Evangelical Fellowship Church Tanzania also supported the initiative, saying religious teachings encourage believers to respect lawful authority and contribute to the common good.
“Fairness in taxation is important for maintaining peace, stability and economic growth. Taxes should be paid and administered with integrity,” Howard said. 
Sheikh Alhad Mussa Salum, chairman of the Tanzania Peace and Reconciliation Community, said paying taxes should be viewed as a civic responsibility that supports the country's future.
“Paying taxes is an act of responsibility towards society. Integrity is required from everyone involved in the process, both those who collect taxes and those who pay them,” Sheikh Salum said. 
The partnership is notable because it brings religious institutions directly into public efforts to improve tax compliance, an area usually associated with government enforcement and financial regulation.
Decision backed by research
Recent academic research suggests the approach could have a meaningful impact. A 2025 study by researchers from the ifo Institute and the Chr. Michelsen Institute found that messages about taxes were significantly more effective when delivered by religious leaders rather than tax officials. In an experiment involving business owners in Dar es Salaam, researchers found that providing information about how taxes fund public services increased voluntary tax compliance only when the message came from a religious leader. 
The study concluded that trusted faith leaders can play an important role in improving compliance in countries where confidence in public institutions is low. 
The findings offer support for the strategy now being adopted by the TRA. Faith organizations have long been influential in Tanzania beyond their religious activities. Churches and mosques frequently work with the government on public health campaigns, peacebuilding initiatives, education and disaster response. Their extensive community networks allow them to reach millions of people through weekly services and local outreach programs. 
Tax justice advocates have also argued that faith leaders can help improve conversations around taxation by encouraging accountability from both governments and taxpayers. Regional organizations have previously called on religious groups to take a greater role in discussions about tax reforms and public finance across Africa. 
The TRA says its ethics platform is intended not only to encourage citizens to pay taxes voluntarily but also to strengthen integrity within the authority itself. Officials say the agency will continue improving transparency, fighting corruption and building stronger relationships with taxpayers as part of its broader effort to increase public confidence in the country's tax system. ]]></content:encoded>
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